Method of burning a combustible substance by contact with combustion composition

ABSTRACT

A combustion composition comprising a member selected from the group consisting of ferrocene, carborane, ferrocenyl and carboranyl derivatives; activated carbon; ammonium perchlorate; and aluminum powder. In operation, pellets or granules of the mixture are coated with calcium phosphate and applied to a combustible substrate.

nited States Patent [1 1 Sayles METHOD OF BURNING A COMBUSTIBLESUBSTANCE BY CONTACT WITH COMBUSTION COMPOSITION Inventor: David C.Sayles, Huntsville, Ala.

Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretaryof the Army, Washington, DC.

Filed: Feb. 23, 1973 Appl. No.: 334,790

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 202,694, Nov. 26,1971.

US. Cl 149/22, 149/42, 149/44,

149/76 Int. Cl C06b 15/00 Field of Search 149/22, 42, 44, 76

[ Nov. 20, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,689,3319/1972 Pierce 149/38 X Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Lechert, Jr.Attorney-Harry M. Saragovitz et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT 9 Claims, No Drawings METHOD OF BURNING A COMBUSTIBLESUBSTANCE BY CONTACT WITH COMBUSTION COMPOSITION This is a division ofapplication Ser. No. 202,694, filed Nov. 26, 1971.

The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensedby or for the Government for governmental purposes without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

This invention disclosure pertains to catalytic compositions whichmarkedly accelerate the oxidative reaction of atmospheric oxygen withcombustible materials thereby resulting in their consumation.

Napalm or defoliants have been utilized in the destruction or burning offorests and jungles. The present composition constitutes an improvementover prior art agents in that it is more effective and considerably lessexpensive than the use of napalm or defoliants. The success of thisinvention is dependent upon the use of ferrocene or carborane (C B H andferrocenyl or carboranyl derivatives having alkyl substituents of one to12 carbons atoms, e.g., n-methylferrocene, nbutylferrocene,n-octylferrocene, n-dodecylferrocene, n-methylcarborane,n-butylcarborane, noctylcarborane and n-dodecylcarborane, along withother constituents to produce a composition which effectively catalyzesthe interaction of atmospheric oxygen with any combustible substrate.The present composition functions with little degration of activity orinterference by the high moisture content of the substrate that is to beconsumed. The rate at which the combustible material is consumed by thisoxidative process is admittedly influenced by such parameters as densityof the dispersion pattern, atmospheric conditions, etc.

It is an object of this invention to provide and disclose an improvedcombustion composition.

It is a further object of this invention to provide and disclose the useof an improved combustion composition.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may beascertained from the following description and claims.

A representative composition of the present formulation consists of thefollowing components in the parts by weight indicated:

n-butylferrocene 80-90 activated carbon -10 ammonium perchlorate 2.5-5

aluminum powder 2.5-5 The ammonium perchlorate utilized had a particlesize of about 2-5 microns and the aluminum powder had a particle size ofabout 60 microns.

The composition was compounded by absorbing the n-butylferrocene ontothe activated carbon. The resultant mixture was then blended with theammonium perchlorate followed with the aluminum powder. The resultingpellets or granules are subsequentially coated or prilled with calciumphosphate or a silicon compound sold under the trademark of Alon-C toproduce a material that is free flowing and readily dispersible.

The finely-powdered activated carbon has the dramatic ability offunctioning synergistically with the burning rate catalysts by providingthe large surface area which is exposed to the atmosphere and to whichatmospheric oxygen can become absorbed. The aluminum powder and ammoniumperchlorate provide a sufficiently high combustion temperature to insurea sustained faster rate of combustion of the combustible substrate. Thepresent composition eliminates the need for an ignition device since thecombustion is selfinitiating after a brief initial inhibitory period.

The combustibility characteristics of the present composition wereassessed using a wood specimen having dimensions of 2 inches X 4 inchesX 1 foot in length. In order to stimulate conditions characteristic ofjungles, the specimen was immersed in a tank of water which contain 0.2percent of a surfactant sold under the trademark of Alkaterge(Commercial Solvents Corporation) to insure complete saturation of thelog with moisture. A small quantity of the present composition, i.e.,0.1 gram, was positioned on the log. Combustion and smoldering of thelog began after a brief induction period and the smoldering continueduntil the log was completely consumed.

A comparison was made in which a similar quantity of kerosene wasapplied to a log in order to simulate the action of napalm. When thekerosene was ignited with a match, it burned briefly and then died outwithout even superficially charring the log.

In addition to the destruction of undesired woody materials, it isenvisaged that the present invention could be utilized for destroyinglarge quantities of petroleum-based fuels which have been inadvertentlydispersed over large areas of the oceans.

Although I have described my invention with a cer-' tain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example. Therefore, I do not desire to be limited tothe exact details of formulation and use, shown and described, forobvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Method of burning a combustible substrate comprising contacting saidsubstrate with a composition having the following components:

a. about -90 parts by weight of a catalyst selected from the groupconsisting of ferrocene, carborane, a ferrocenyl derivative and acarboranyl derivative,

b. about 5-l0 parts by weight of activated carbon,

c. about 2.5-5 parts by weight of ammonium perchlorate, and

d. about 2.5-5 parts by weight of aluminum powder.

2. A methode in accordance with claim 1 wherein the combustiblesubstrate is a woody material.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the composition is coatedwith a material selected from the group consisting of calcium phosphateand a silicon compound.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the catalyst is aferrocenyl derivative having an alkyl substituent chain of one-l2 carbonatoms.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the catalyst is acarboranyl derivative having an alkyl substituent chain of onel2 carbonatoms.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the ferrocenyl derivativeis n-butylferrocene.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the carboranyl derivativeis n-hyxylcarborane.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said ferrocenylderivative is selected from the group consisting of n-methylferrocene,n-butylferrocene, noctylferrocene, and r'r-dodecylferrocene.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said carboranylderivative is selected from the group consisting of n-methylcarborane,n-butylcarborane, n-

octylcarborane, and n-dodecylcarborane.

k i II tT i I ED STATES PA IENT OFFICE f CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Paten3 .773.575 Dat d 20 Nov 1973 Inventor(s) David G. Sayles It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2 line 52 (Claim last line) "one-12" should read Column 2 line 55(Claim 5 last lihe) "one-l2" should read Column 2, 11m; 59 (Claim 7 lastline) 'fg-hyxylcarborane" should read -hexy1carb0rane.-.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of April 19m.

SEAL) I Atte st C MARSHALL DANN EDWARD M.FLETCH ER JR Commissioner ofPatents Attesting Officer USCOMM'DC 5O376-P69 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE "I! 0-366-38.

F ORM Po-1os0 (10-69) iJNITED STATES PA'IIENT OFFICE v CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Pat nt N 3.773.575 Dated 20 Nov 1973 Inventor(s) David C.Sayles It is certified'that error appears in the above-identifiedpatentand that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2 line 52 (Claim 4, last line) "one-12" should read Column 2,line 55 (Claim 5, last line), "one-12" should read Column 2, line 59(Claim 7 last line) QhyxylQarbOrane" should read -hexylcarborane vSigned and sealed this 9th day of April 197E.

(SEAL) 7 v Attest: l. I I

EDWARD I'LFLE-TCHEmJR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents USCOMM-DC GOING-P69 n u. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING omc: n0o-su-au.

FORM PC4050 (10-69)

2. A methode in accordance with claim 1 wherein the combustiblesubstrate is a woody material.
 3. A method in accordance with claim 1wherein the composition is coated with a material selected from thegroup consisting of calcium phosphate and a silicon compound.
 4. Amethod in accordance with claim 1 wherein the catalyst is a ferrocenylderivative having an alkyl substituent chain of one-12 carbon atoms. 5.A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the catalyst is a carboranylderivative having an alkyl substituent chain of one-12 carbon atoms. 6.A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the ferrocenyl derivative isn-butylferrocene.
 7. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein thecarboranyl derivative is n-hyxylcarborane.
 8. A method in accordancewith claim 1 wherein said ferrocenyl derivative is selected from thegroup consisting of n-methylferrocene, n-butylferrocene,n-octylferrocene, and n-dodecylferrocene.
 9. A method in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said carboranyl derivative is selected from the groupconsisting of n-methylcarborane, n-butylcarborane, n-octylcarborane, andn-dodecylcarborane.